Happy Halloween!

The pumpkins are carved. The costumes are ready. 

Happy Halloween! 

Apples

 I love apple season. I am so thankful that the kids got to go to the orchard this year. 

They picked a lot! 

There's a smell at the orchard, in the apple cooler, and it's one of my favorite smells in the world. And since it's cool and there are some apples on the 3 season porch, it smells like the apple cooler. It's fantastic. 

And we've had some crisps and made plenty of sauce. Our house smells fantastic this time of year. Life is good! 

My Birthday Girl!

 Oh M had just the very best 8th birthday on Saturday! She woke up and Husband fulfilled her request for a waffle with whipped cream. He hand-whipped it and threw some strawberries on for good measure. 

She got to open two presents early in the day. C got her a Mirabelle Barbie and we got her... 

An ice maker! No lie, this girl LOVES a good ice water. And our fridge doesn't have a water hook up. And we rarely make ice cubes with the ice cube trays mostly because I don't give a hoot about ice so I wouldn't make any. 

So a countertop ice maker it is. It makes 12 ice cubes in 6 minutes. And she loved it! 

We had a snacky lunch, because we did. Featuring her new favorite "fancy" thing... the Bagel Bite. 

Then it was time to head off to her party! At the art museum! Her birthday shirt this year says It's a good day to make some art! 

She got to kill some time and sketch while she waited for her friends. 

And then they all joined her in the art studio for mask making. With a great art teacher and they had a good time!

Then they went on a gallery tour. Which was the cutest. Seriously. 

But this was the best, we were walking towards a new area and M spotted this painting and the plaque on the wall. It was Joan Miro. (I didn't know either, don't feel bad.) M got really excited and pointed it out and suddenly I had 9 second-graders giddy with excitement! They had just studied Joan Miro in art class. So to spot his work in the wild was very cool. So I had them take a picture to send to the art teacher. (Who happens to be my friend.) I knew it would make her so proud and happy. It completely did. 

Our docent was very impressed! (I was too!) But then the docent also was impressed because they knew about All Saints Day. And Haiti because of our sister parish. The kids did a great job with the gallery tour. 

Then we went back to the studio for Crumbl cookies, goldfish, and juice boxes. Oh and opening presents. 

Her birthday banner was obviously art themed. 

We had the best day celebrating our favorite girl. We are so lucky she's ours!!

Happy birthday M! 

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

Happy Birthday, Baby!! 

I cannot even, for one minute, believe that you are 8-years-old today! It absolutely defies logic! How? 

And oh sweet girl what a year you've had. You figured out what kind of soccer player you want to be, and that is defensive. There's still a long way to go but you had a pretty darn good spring and fall season. Thankfully, we are skipping indoor this year though. We're all okay with that. 

You are still the most dramatic girl I know when it comes to injuries. A tiny scrape is the equivalent of a mortal wound. But yet, when it comes time for a shot you don't even flinch. What's that about? I don't know. But it is one of the mysteriously wonderful things that makes you you and I love every second of you. 

You're in the midst of doing your first show and I am over the moon about it because you apparently rocked your audition and you got a much bigger part than I would have imagined for you on your first go around. I can't wait to see it. 

This year has been so good. You're still my social butterfly who could make friends with a rock but man, have you become a sweet and wonderful friend! You are kinder than I could imagine and I appreciate that so much about you. You still get mad when there's no school. You aren't thrilled this year's birthday fell on a Saturday and there was no changing your mind that was a travesty. 

Favorite things include strawberries, pancakes and pandas--so nothing different there. But the amount of sketch pads we go through now is ridiculous. I can't wait to see what you create next. 

I am so glad you're mine and I get to be your mom. You are one of my favorite people to be around and snuggling you and kissing your cheeks never gets old to me. 

I love you!!

Happy birthday!

Love, Mom

Fall Smiles

 Happy Monday! This weekend was a good one. Fall is in full swing. 

Don't get me wrong: it's cold. The high today is 44... (good thing I got M's winter coat ordered when I did!) but it will be back to the 70s this weekend! 

October So Far

We are 10 days into October and I have nothing to show for it. This month is going to go by in a whirlwind. It already has. 

There's SO much goodness coming and every single weekend brings more. 

My month started with a little note on my pillow from M. She even made the envelope. 

For the record, the show I saw was good. 

The kids spent one of the last hot days at the park before going to a birthday party. 

I spent that day with a bunch of confirmation candidates at their retreat. 

We got adult happy meals. And kid happy meals. And you know what? It legitimately made me happy. 

There are a lot of fancier, healthier food options but McDonald's does hold a special spot in my heart. 

This creepy-looking animal showed up on the second grader's Spanish worksheet. No one seems to know what it is. 

The same sheet already had a sheep and a camel and the feet were different. Some people in my office believe it's like Sid from Ice Age, which I suppose it could be an extinct ground sloth but I am not sold. Everyone agrees it must be a girl due to the eyelashes. 

And yes, clearly it IS bugging me and I have asked a lot of people what it could be. Including the Spanish teacher. Who explained to me that the children didn't need to identify the animal, but simply count them up. (Yes, I got that. Still doesn't change the fact I want to know what this is.) 

I think the reason M didn't answer this one at all is that she's my daughter and utterly perplexed at what creature it is. 

Soccer is winding down. 

Last practice today! And one more game. M has really come into her own, she has decided she really likes defense and plays the position well. When they switch her to offense she isn't quite as great but overall the season has been a positive one. I wasn't sure how it would go this year and if she'd be ready to be done or not, but she has done a great job. I am so proud! 

Husband and I went to a wedding on Saturday. It was nice to go out and grown up together. 

And yesterday we went on an afternoon of errands and hit Costco. So then we had the fanciest dinner ever. $1.50 hot dogs and smoothies. (For a serving of fruit obviously.) 

And here we are at today. Now you're all caught up on my October!